Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

January Agriculture Council

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: My Hon Friend the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (George Eustice) has today made the following statement:Agriculture and Fisheries Council will take place on January 23 in Brussels. I will represent the United Kingdom.As the provisional agenda stands, the primary focus will be an exchange of views on agricultural products in free trade agreements.There will also be an information item on the Dairy Market and milk package report. This will be followed by a Council discussion.The Maltese Presidency, whose Presidency term commenced on January 1, will present their 6 month Work Programme to the Council. There is currently only one item scheduled under ‘Any Other Business’:- Conclusions of the 40th Conference of Directors of Paying Agencies (tabled by the Slovak delegation). Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. The outcome of these negotiations will determine what arrangements apply in relation to EU legislation in future once the UK has left the EU.